SALVAGE VEHICLE INSPECTION FEES H.B. 4922:
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 4922 (as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Jeff Yaroch
House Committee: Commerce and Trade
Senate Committee: Transportation
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Vehicle Code to do the following:
-- Allow a local authority's records related to the collection and disposition of salvage vehicle inspection fees to be reviewed or audited by a local unit of government, and made available to the Department of State.
-- Specify that salvage vehicle inspection fees collected by a local authority, in addition to current uses, could be used for equipment and road patrol services that increased the likelihood of recovering stolen vehicles or stolen vehicle parts.
Under the Code, a salvage certificate of title authorizes the holder of the title to possess, transport, but not drive upon a highway, and transfer ownership in, a vehicle. The Secretary of State may not issue a certificate of title or registration plates for a vehicle for which a salvage certificate of title was issued unless a specially trained officer (a Department employee, an on-duty or off-duty police officer, or a previously certified police officer who is appointed by a local police agency as a limited enforcement officer to conduct salvage vehicle inspections) certifies all of the following:
-- That the vehicle identification numbers and parts identification numbers are correct.
-- That the applicant has proof of ownership of repair parts used.
-- That the vehicle complies with the equipment standards of the Code.
-- That any repairs performed on the vehicle were done in a workmanlike manner, as certified on a form provided by the Department by a properly licensed mechanic in the appropriate specialty.
A police agency must charge a fee for an inspection of a vehicle. Each local authority with a police agency must determine the amount of the fee for inspections by that police agency, which may not exceed $100. Except as otherwise provided, a collected fee must be deposited with the local authority for that police agency.
The bill provides that the records of the local authority regarding the collection and disposition of inspection fees would be subject to review or audit by the local unit of government and would have to be made available upon request to the Department.
The Code requires a fee collected by a local authority to be used solely for law enforcement purposes related to stolen vehicles, stolen vehicle parts, and salvage vehicle inspections. The bill would require a fee collected by a local authority to be used solely for law enforcement purposes related to stolen vehicles, including equipment and road patrol services that
increased the likelihood of recovering stolen vehicles or stolen vehicle parts, and salvage vehicle inspections.
The bill would take effect 90 days after it was enacted.
MCL 257.217c Legislative Analyst: Drew Krogulecki
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.